BS: The Ashes

Subject: BS: The Ashes
From: Shakey
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 06:45 AM

Bring it on

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST,DPs bodyguard
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 06:56 AM

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust!
When they bury Dolly.....
They'll have trouble with her bust.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: greg stephens
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:00 AM

71-4.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(Mind you, it's early days yet)

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Shakey
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:00 AM

Oz 71 for 4 in the first hour, is it xmas?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: greg stephens
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:03 AM

Get comfy,settle down on this thread and enjoy yourselves. There will be no Americans pontificating on Iraq, that's for sure.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:15 AM

There will be Americans who don't know what you're talking about. I think I'll be the first. I'd guess some sort of sport. Perhaps water polo. Maybe not though, since Shakey said 'the first hour' and I never would have believed horses could swim for that long.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Shakey
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:26 AM

Jeri the Ashes is series of five cricket matches, each one lasts five days, yes days.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: greg stephens
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:26 AM

Go away Jeri, this is not an American thing. Well, maybe I'm being a bit churlish. Do you know what a "leg glance" is? If so, you can stay.


87-5!!!!!!!!!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEES

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:28 AM

Does it also have a little bit to do with Australians.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: greg stephens
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:31 AM

Who have, apparently, sent their under-11 girls' team by mistake.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Shakey
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:35 AM

England playing with an arc of 8 fielders from wk to square: I think they smell blood. Enjoy your lunch oz.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: MBSLynne
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:42 AM

We're just lulling you into a false sense of security guys....after all, it's 71 years since England beat Australia at Lords! There's lots of time yet!

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Shakey
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:43 AM

Lull away. Good things are worth waiting for, ask the Red Sox.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:51 AM

What are Red Sox? Are they a boy band?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Arnie
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 07:51 AM

What an incredible morning session. I left the room for a minute and missed the 5th wicket!! Gilchrist is going to take some shifting but at this rate we''ll skittle them all out by close of play today. Mind you, it's early days yet and we still have to bat on what appears to be a bowler-friendly pitch.....better get some lunch in before the afternoon session.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Shakey
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 10:39 AM

With the ferocity of the bowling I was almost feeling sorry for the aussies. I said almost.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: gnu
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:00 AM

Oh my. I can't wait to see it on Fox Sports World Canada... hopefully before the London Olympics.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Torctgyd
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:02 AM

England 14 - 2, Aussies toying with the English again

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Shakey
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:25 AM

oh dear 19 for 4

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Chris Green
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:27 AM

Looks like we're snatching defeat from the jaws of victory again! :(

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:31 AM

Red socks are the only ones that Studs Terkel wears.

Art

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Shakey
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:31 AM

And the day started off so well, 21 for 5, McGrath is unplayable.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Sooz
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 01:12 PM

TV coverage is not up to the standard we have enjoyed from Sky.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 01:43 PM

Do you mean that England tend to win on Sky?

It all started so well............

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 10:43 PM

I had been mentally preparing a 'cricket's-the-winner' post, but it seems that may not be necessary.
While I think cricket does need England to be able to beat Australia, an Ashes test is hardly the time or place for that, is it.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: ard mhacha
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 01:17 PM

Both sides even money at the close of the second day, best game of cricket for years.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 03:19 PM

Yes cricket is the winner. Great stuff!

I think that anyone who likes cricket - whatever their nationality - will accept the bowling from Glen MacGrath was the best spell of controlled pace that we are ever likely to see...........The figures would tend to support such a view. He just did not bowl anything loose.

The slope of the Lord's ground may well have played a big part and he tends to be successful on this pitch - but all credit to the man for this performance. A man who was subject to booing by some sections of the crowd when his name was announced. As a good sport and an England supporter - and watching his subsequent reaction - I do hope that we have heard the last of this booing. Otherwise - I fear it will be a very one-sided series.

The turning point may well turn out to be that fantastic catch on the boundary that cost Pieterson his wicket. And the one that he dropped (on top of the other two on the first day).

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: ard mhacha
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 04:28 PM

Both sides even after the second day?, not according to Paddy Power`s betting, he has the Aussies at 9-2 on, crazy.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 04:45 PM

No way will England win and their only chance of a draw is rain. As it stands now they need 318 to win and Australia has 3 wickets left, not a hope in hell of England making anything near 300 against this bowling attack. What Glen McGrath leaves undone, Brett Lee will finish.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 06:28 PM

What a match. It's certainly not over yet. Not until Pieterson's back in the pavilion. What a find he is. Maybe not even then. There was no Oz batsman that I saw who wasn't intimidated by the bowling. (I didn't see Clark) Good match. Cricket is the winner whoever wins.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: greg stephens
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 07:38 AM

What a match! Wish I had tickets. What better way to spend a day?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: ard mhacha
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 07:40 AM

Never argue with the bookies, Paddy Powers 9/2 on was correct. Rain is Englands only hope, the Aussies have proved too good this morning.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 08:22 AM

England has dropped their way out of this match.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 09:01 AM

Don't dispair quite yet.

Remember that Miracles can happen - especially in Ashes matches....

It was a miracle when Jones finally held one of our many catches! Ironic - after his 3 dropped catches - that Pieterson was thought to be a stronger fieldsman than Grahame Thorpe.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: gnu
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 09:20 AM

Oh, piss me off!! If it's that good, Fox Sports World Canada will never air it. Bastards can rerun every game of last season's Premiership Football though. And I can always watch poker on the other "sports" networks.... or cricket from the early nineties... at 3AM. Twits.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: gnu
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 09:23 AM

Just checked and there IS a half hour ICC Cricket World programme on FSWC at 2PM today. Original air date: February 16, 2002. I'd like to change "twits" to assholes.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 12:49 PM

5 wickets down - and rain prevented any more play. For England this was a jolly good thing.

What was all this rubbish about Shane Warne being passed his best?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 01:28 PM

It was always Englands only chance of avoiding an inevitable defeat.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: gnu
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 01:35 PM

Ya mean rain negates the loss?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 01:35 PM

The rain could just be the first part of the miracle......

It is never over until the fat wombat sings 'Tie me kangaroo down sport'.

The fat wombat being Shane Warne of course.......

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 01:42 PM

If only he too like the wombat was nocturnal England might have a chance!
Giok ¦¬]

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 02:09 PM

For ball-by-ball commentary check this out. It refreshes every 65 seconds.
For the laptop-enabled this would be very handy in the bus, train, church, at work, etc...

gnu -
In the top LH corner of that page click on 'Cricinfo home'.
On that page you will see a button for 'Live video'. I haven't tried it yet, I only just found it and play has ended for the day, but everything else at the Cricinfo site seems to work.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: gnu
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 02:11 PM

Thanks John... but my old PC couldn't handle it... I don't think.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: ad1943
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 10:48 PM

Apart from Pierterson, the England batsmen fail to move their feet to the pitch of the ball. The result is that the bat is far too far from the body when they play their shots. They should be watching film of Ken Barrington in my opinion to see how it is done . And I am an Aussie!
Still..it has been a good game
best wishes

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jul 05 - 10:58 PM

the pommy broadcasters have change there tune a bit
they have lived in hope for years but no glory

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Hrothgar
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 05:01 AM

..."sent their under-11 girls' team by mistake"...

... and Greg says "Oops!"

LOL

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: greg stephens
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 05:50 AM

They are actually surprisingly good for an under-11 girls team.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 05:53 AM

I'd like to be under 11 girls!
G.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:04 AM

Well it's raining and the start of play has been delayed. It may well save England a loss, but I think it would be a terrible shame to never find out if Pieterson could have done a Botham and turned it around.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Tam the man
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:12 AM

I am Scottish and I support the best team

AUSTRALIA

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Tam the man
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:13 AM

PS

The reason is that I have family out in Australia, and I mean how many English people would support Scotland when we play Australia in the world cup.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:28 AM

Apart from Pierterson, the England batsmen fail to move their feet to the pitch of the ball. The result is that the bat is far too far from the body when they play their shots. They should be watching film of Ken Barrington in my opinion to see how it is done.

Thank you Geoff Boycott...*Smiles* It is easy to see many things when a very hard cricket ball is not coming at you at 90 mph. Doing it right - when the ball is doing this - is never so easy.

It is also easy to 'pick' Shane Warne's various deliverys - from behind and in slow-motion. And 'picking' them and playing them (on a helpful pitch) is not the same as playing them.

But yes it is true that England's batting performance (with the exception of Kevin Pietersen) has added to the excellent bowling. If they don't learn from this (and how to hold catches) the series is going to be very one -sided.

It must be recognised that to have any real chance of a series win against this fine Australian team - every aspect of the England team's performance must be working at maximum. There is a lot of room for improvement judging from the team's performance so far.

The only hope is that there seems to be little room for any improvement to the Australian team's - near perfect performance and fighting spirit - so far. If England can raise their performance - they may just yet have a chance of a win - and it will turn out to be classic contest.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:35 AM

Shambles, I beg to differ. The Oz batsmen have not looked confident at all against this English bowling lineup. There is certainly a vulnerability there. The question is whether or not the English can exploit it.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:35 AM

The reason is that I have family out in Australia, and I mean how many English people would support Scotland when we play Australia in the world cup.

This one would. It is a common misconception that the lack of support (or more correctly support for the oposition) that Scottish folk give to English sporting ventures is reciprocated in kind.

Bobby Charlton nearly had a TV orgasm when little Archie's World Cup goal went in against Holland. I and many other English football supporter may not have been quite so excited - but were just as pleased.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:42 AM

John o` is right the Oz batsmen are decidely shaky against the English bowling, why I as neutral hope for an Aussie victory is because of the gloating in that first Aussie innings, both Tv and Radio were away over the top.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 08:35 AM

Shambles, I beg to differ. The Oz batsmen have not looked confident at all against this English bowling lineup. There is certainly a vulnerability there. The question is whether or not the English can exploit it.

I think that is true. However batting as a team - enough Australians did manage to stay and make the runs that others may have failed to do. Clarke and Martin's partnership was the killer. England only had Pietersen (although him and Jones are still there and could yet pull-off the miracle).

The fact is that the England bowlers did not manage to exploit the general weakness to England's bowling enough this time. Perhaps they will manage to next match?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 11:47 AM

Oh dear, the end is nigh.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 12:13 PM

Tie me kangaroo down sport..........

Well there is always the next one.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST,Evans
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 12:49 PM

I thought it was the English and Welsh cricket club/association?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: rhyzla
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 02:01 PM

Not an even contest - I don't mean us and the ossies - I mean bat versus ball. The bowlers were always on top, and tho it made for good watching, the game only efectiviely lasted 3 and a bit days - which suggests a miss-match.

Conclusion: to make a match of the series, England need to work on picking Warne, and play down the right line to Mcgrath, not wind up Lee too much, encourage Ponting to use Gillespie more, and to bloody well hold on to catches. oh, and hope are bowlers stay fit!!!

There ... easy.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 05:25 PM

But we excel at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:24 PM

But we excel at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.....

Perhaps, but I don't think we saw England anywhere near the jaws of victory in this test. The Australian first innings was encouraging but didn't get me feeling England had set themselves up for victory. I wanted to see what McGrath and crew would do on the same surface before drawing any such conclusion.

I think we lost the game when we were already behind and feel that the dropped catches were the biggest let down and helped widen the gap between us and the aussies.

Still, even if McGrath did even better, we should take some encouragement from Harmison's figures. 8 wickets at 12 a piece is excellent by any standards. And Peiterson's batting was impressive.

Overall, while I still do think Ausralia are the best, I think the same Engalnd side is capable of running them a lot closer than they managed in this test.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: RobbieWilson
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:39 PM

Barry, I agree England would do much better if they could pick Warne but sadly he is Australian.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:41 PM

how many englishmen are in the english team?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: greg stephens
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 06:43 PM

It's only a game.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 07:09 PM

...and there'll be another one in a couple of weeks.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: rhyzla
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 05:11 AM

And I've got a ticket for Sunday - what chance is there of me seeing any play?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 05:57 AM

A play like?

Much Ado About Nothing

Or

The Tempest

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 06:08 AM

The Comedy Of Errors?

Love's Labours Lost?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: ad1943
Date: 25 Jul 05 - 11:51 PM

To Shambles
I am not Geoff Boycott...if you remember Boycott didn't bat he simply occupied the crease. He and Bill Lawry almost killed cricket .
Incidentally, I think Boycott is the only Test player to actually bat on every day of a 5 day test ( or at least occupy the crease)
I was hoping for a close contest this Summer as I played the game for 47 years and love it ...cricket turns boys into gentlemen ( with a few notable exceptions!)

Allen

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 26 Jul 05 - 04:15 AM

I only jokingly mention Boycott as he now unfailingly knows (after the event) exactly what shot every batsman should have played and every delivery the bowler should have bowled.

Boycott as a player - for all his skill at staying at the crease - was never known as a term player. During the recent match he gave one of his secrets away. When talking of facing MacGrath's spell - said that the trick was to make sure that as a batsman - you made sure you were at the other end.

I feel this is probably fair enough and may keep your personal averages up - when you have another recognised batsman at the other end - but not when you are batting with the tail-enders. I do not know it to be true but I get the impression that - however well Boycott may have performed at test level - England did not win that many matches as a result......And in run-out situations - he never seemed to be the one out.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: Hrothgar
Date: 26 Jul 05 - 06:00 AM

Take more tham cricket to turn Boycott into a gentleman.

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: ad1943
Date: 26 Jul 05 - 09:13 AM

About the only decent memory I have of him is that ( and correct me if I am wrong) he dropped Dirk Welham at cover when Welham was on 99 in a Test match in England

I always had the feeling that the drop was deliberate ..but knowing his character I suspect not
Does anyone remember this incident ?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 05:52 AM

who wants to remember BOYCOTT?

Subject: RE: BS: The Ashes
From: GUEST,Shakey
Date: 27 Jul 05 - 07:10 AM

Boycott and Tavere (sp?) batting together: stuff nightmares are made of!